WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

VIRTUAL CAMPUS

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

SYLLABUS

1. Mission Statement: Wayland Baptist University exists to educate students in an academically challenging,

learning-focused and distinctively Christian environment for professional success and service to God and humankind.

2. Course: FINA 5310 – VC01, Public Finance

3. Term: Winter 2017

4. Instructor: Dr. Yongli Luo

5. Office Phone Number and WBU Email Address: 281-728-3694;

6. Office Hours, Building, and Location: Online

7. Class Meeting Time and Location: November 13,2017--February 17, 2018, ONLINE

8. Catalog Description: Concepts, principles, and practices in financial matters at the federal, state, and local levels to include decision-making techniques, planning the financial structure, management of assets, capital budgeting, obtaining capital, and management of income under conditions of uncertainty.

9. Prerequisites: Previous courses in macroeconomics, financial management, political science, and basic accounting are recommended.

10. Required Textbook and Resources:

BOOK / AUTHOR / ED / YEAR / PUBLISHER / ISBN# / Updated
Management Policies in Local Government Finance / Bartle et al. / 6th / 2013 / ICMA / 9780873267656 / 4/13/13

11. Optional Materials: Blackboard Virtual Campus account at https://wbu.blackboard.com/

Computer with high speed Internet; Microsoft Office; online account for access to WBU writing center and Wayland library at https://www.wbu.edu/academics/writing-center/wconline.htm

12. Course Outcome Competencies:

·  Examine the logic of government budgets

·  Analyze and describe revenue generation (taxes)

·  Understand revenue forecasting and estimation

·  Understand management of working capital and employee retirement funds

·  Understand methods for government finance

·  Evaluate risk management

·  Critique government fiscal decisions

·  Analyze accounting and financial management methods

·  Evaluate economic conditions in the context of the government decision process

13. Attendance Requirements: Students are expected to participate in all required instructional activities in their courses. Online courses are no different in this regard; Students aware of necessary absences must inform the professor with as much advance notice as possible in order to make appropriate arrangements. Any student absent 25 percent or more of the online course, i.e., non-participatory during 3 or more weeks of an 11 week term, may receive an F for that course. Instructors may also file a Report of Unsatisfactory Progress for students with excessive non-participation. Any student who has not actively participated in an online class prior to the census date for any given term is considered a “no-show” and will be administratively withdrawn from the class without record. To be counted as actively participating, it is not sufficient to log in and view the course. The student must be submitting work as described in the course syllabus.

14. Statement on Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty: Wayland Baptist University observes a zero tolerance policy regarding academic dishonesty. Per university policy as described in the academic catalog, all cases of academic dishonesty will be reported and second offenses will result in suspension from the university.

15. Disability Statement: “In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), it is the policy of Wayland Baptist University that no otherwise qualified person with a disability be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity in the university. The Coordinator of Counseling Services serves as the coordinator of students with a disability and should be contacted concerning accommodation requests at (806) 291- 3765. Documentation of a disability must accompany any request for accommodations.”

16. Course Requirements and Grading Criteria:

Course requirements: The students are expected to read the textbook and other online materials regularly, and complete weekly assignments, exams and discussion forums by the due date. Frequent access to course contents on Blackboard is crucial to course completion. No make-up exam; late assignments are not acceptable.

Grading scale: A ≥ 900 points, B=800-899 points, C=700-799 points, D=600-699 points and F ≤ 599 points. Grading criteria: The overall grade will be a function of weighted average of weekly assignments (40% or 400 points), discussion forums (30% or 300 points), and three exams (30% or 300 points).

Assignments (400 points=8 tests× 50 points each): Assignments will be given on Monday @ 12:00AM and due on Sunday midnight 11:59PM (CST) in each week. Late assignments are not acceptable, but students are encouraged to catch up with penalty of points deduction upon the instructor’s approval with legitimate excuse.

Forums (300 points=3 forums× 100 points each) The discussion forum will be posted on Blackboard in weeks 1, 4 and 7; each forum is considered to be one unified assignment including three parts. All three parts must be posted on time in order to earn credit. including four parts. Incomplete assignments will not earn full credit. Students who post only Part 1 or Part 2 will earn a maximum of 50 points; likewise, students who post only Part 3 will earn no more than 50 points, either.

Part 1--Initial Thread: Students are required to post an initial thread and answer required questions by conducting a wide Internet search using WBU library or journal articles. The post must cite and discuss at least FIVE relevant articles. The post must be more than 200 words in APA format due in one week.

Part 2—Replies: Students are required to post written responses to at least TWO classmates' forum threads. Each of your reply should be more than 100 words with at least TWO relevant references. You may criticize or comment on any inputs made by others with substantial evidences. The more replies you have, the higher score you will get, while posting the minimum number of required substantive postings will result in an average passing score. Relies are due in two weeks.

Part 3—Paper: Students are required to write a research paper in 5-8 pages (double spaced) to summarize your initial thread and others’ replies to your forum topic. You are suggested to use tutor services from WBU writing center to check your grammar and APA format. The paper has to be submitted through SafeAssign on Blackboard as an attachment of a Word file including running head, title page, abstract, introduction, body, conclusion, references in APA format, due in three weeks.

Exams ((300 points=3 exams× 100 points each)): There will be three exams (exam1, exam 2 and final exam 3) scheduled in week 5, week 8 and week 11. Each exam will consist of true/false questions, multiple choice questions, matching questions or comprehensive essay questions.

Additional Points (10 points): There will be a course checklist (8 points) and a DB self-introduction (2 points) due by the end of the first week.

Appeal: Students shall have protection through orderly procedures against prejudices or capricious academic evaluation. A student who believes that he or she has not been held to realistic academic standards, just evaluation procedures, or appropriate grading, may appeal the final grade given in the course by using the student grade appeal process described in the Academic Catalog. Appeals may not be made for advanced placement examinations or course bypass examinations. Appeals are limited to the final course grade, which may be upheld, raised, or lowered at any stage of the appeal process. Any recommendation to lower a course grade must be submitted through the Executive Vice President/Provost to the Faculty Assembly Grade Appeals Committee for review and approval. The Faculty Assembly Grade Appeals Committee may instruct that the course grade be upheld, raised, or lowered to a more proper evaluation.

17. Tentative Schedule: (Calendar, Topics, Assignments)

Week / Subject / Assignments / Starting date / Due date
1 / Ch1: Context, Challenge, Ethics and Opportunity / Checklist(8 pts) / Nov 13 / Nov 19
Ch2: Local Government Spending and Revenues / Introduction(2 pts)
Test 1(50 pts)
Forum 1-Part 1
No Class during Nov 20-24, Thanksgiving break
2 / Ch3: Government Structure / Test 2((50 pts) / Nov 27 / Dec 3
Ch4: The Structure of the Finance Functions / Forum 1-Part 2
3 / Ch5: Accounting and Financial Reporting / Test 3(50 pts) / Dec 4 / Dec 10
Forum 1-Part 3
4 / Ch6: Governmental Budgeting / Test 4(50 pts) / Dec 11 / Dec 17
Ch7: Information Management / Forum 2-Part 1
5 / Chapters 1-7: Midterm Exam I Review / Exam 1(100 pts) / Jan 1 / Jan 7
Forum 2-Part 2
No Class during Dec 18-31, Christmas break
6 / Ch8: The Property Taxes / Test 5(50 pts) / Jan 8 / Jan 14
Ch9: Consumption and Income Tax / Forum 2-Part 3
Ch10: Non-tax Revenue
No Class on Jan 15, Martin Luther King Day
7 / Ch11: Capital Planning and Budgeting / Test 6(50 pts) / Jan 15 / Jan 21
Ch12: Debt and Risk Management / Forum 3-Part 1
8 / Chapters 8-12: Midterm Exam II Review / Exam 2(100 pts) / Jan 22 / Jan 28
Forum 3-Part 2
9 / Ch13: Cash, Investment and Pension / Test 7(50 pts) / Jan 29 / Feb 4
Ch14: Local Economic Development / Forum 3-Part 3
Ch17: Financial Condition Analysis
10 / Ch15: Procurement / Test 8(50 pts) / Feb 5 / Feb 11
Ch16: Public-Private Partnerships / Evaluation
11 / Chapters 13-17: Final Exam III Review / Exam 3(100 pts) / Feb 12 / Feb 17

Note: This schedule is tentative and may be changed during the term as events warrant. Students are responsible for any schedule changes made through announcements or WBU emails.

18. Additional information as desired by the faculty member.

·  Always add the course number “FINA 5310 VC01” in the subject line and include “your name and student ID” in your email.

·  Use your “First name+Last name” to name all your files that were submitted on Blackboard.

·  For a prompt reply, please contact me by email , or call me at 281-728-3694 during the regular working hours (M-F @ 9:00AM-5:00PM).

·  I will reply your emails in 24 hours and post your grades in one week after your submission.